The larger point this brings up is that the mainstream not just media but culture doesn’t sufficiently take stock of the fact that within our culture we have a subculture that is literally a fifth column of insanity. That is bred from birth through homeschool, Christian school, evangelical college, whatever to reject facts as a matter of faith.

“We have a village idiot in this country. It is called fundamentalist Christianity.”

Much more in the video.

Strangely, at 1:45 Frank Schaeffer admits that he is a church-going Christian. Why can’t he see that his belief is merely a milder form of the insanity?

26 Responses to “Evangelical religion = insanity”

I’m just happy that at least one christian is standing up to the insanity that their own religion has brought about. I hope more christians follow suit.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 10:55 am 2.Bishop said …

I think the village idiots are the ones who continue to buy into whatever this administration spews. They have proven to be incredibly incompetent, liars and dividers, Rather than hope and change they have brought us rope and chains.

To support the Prez here, I think an atichrist would be much more competent which would leave him out.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 1:58 pm 3.AntiRoss said …

Bishop, that has nothing whatsoever to do with the above video. You’re just using this thread to spew out your own partisan political opinions.

On topic, I like his point that no politicians seem to have the backbone to speak out against these nutcases. It would be nice to see someone effectively dismiss them as well as Frank Schaeffer has.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 3:13 pm 4.Elliot said …

I think he said it very well, when people choose faith over facts, there is no changing their minds, you can only move past them.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 5:08 pm 5.Denis Loubet said …

Wow, I hadn’t seen that video before. Nice!

I had a few quibbles, but they pale to insignificance next to someone finally calling stupid people stupid in so many words!

Bravo!

on 18 Sep 2009 at 5:25 pm 6.Fact Evangelist said …

I am going to go buy that guy’s book today. He’s spot on. A large segment of the population doesn’t care about facts and it’s scary. The video that was making the rounds at the 9/12 “protest” illustrates this well – these people are interchanging the words communism, fascism, socialism, etc, like they’re synonymous. It’s glorified stupidity and I suspect religion is at the root.

We should not suppress Evangelists- they are the best advert for atheism and rationality you can find! Unfortunately, they become more vocal the more irrational they become. This guy is spot on and I’m glad to see that America is finally airing these views in public. Now if you can only get your politicians to do the same.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 7:20 pm 8.Bruebista said …

I wonder is Schaffer feels the same outage for the left-liberal nuts like the 9/11 conspiracy theorist or the JFK conspiracy theorist? Why hasn’t he spoke out sgainst the Islam nut-jobs? Maybe because they vote democrat. They didn’t believe Bush was the anti-christ but rather Hitler. The right doesn’t have a monopoly on ignorance.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 8:37 pm 9.3D said …

Bruebista wrote:
“I wonder is Schaffer feels the same outage for the left-liberal nuts like the 9/11 conspiracy theorist or the JFK conspiracy theorist? Why hasn’t he spoke out sgainst the Islam nut-jobs? Maybe because they vote democrat.”

First off, I wouldn’t label 9/11 conspiracy theorists as “left”. Most of the 9/11 conspiracy sites like Alex Jones go after Bush and Obama as if they are equal. Sometimes I feel like Republicans shove them over to the left because they need someone to balance out Fred Phelps and Ann Coulter on the right.

Anyway, to answer the question, it’s because 9/11 conspiracy theorists don’t weild any influence in society; quite the opposite, they are regarded as rhetorical lepers. By comparison, right-wing nut jobs control the discourse and, until recently, the policy-making of this country, and that is why it is important to speak out against them.

on 18 Sep 2009 at 9:13 pm 10.Horatio said …

“9/11 conspiracy theorists don’t weild any influence in society”

Actually they carry a lot of weight especially in the government. Much more than the far right. Enter – Van Jones.

9-11 conspiracy theorist (along with Muslims) formed during the Bush years. They are solidly far left wackos. Somehow I don’t believe the Right was blaming Bush for 9/11. Your assessment is simply silly 3D

on 18 Sep 2009 at 10:50 pm 11.Anonymous said …

“I wonder is Schaffer feels the same outage for the left-liberal nuts like the 9/11 conspiracy theorist or the JFK conspiracy theorist? Why hasn’t he spoke out sgainst the Islam nut-jobs? Maybe because they vote democrat. They didn’t believe Bush was the anti-christ but rather Hitler. The right doesn’t have a monopoly on ignorance.”

“9-11 conspiracy theorist (along with Muslims) formed during the Bush years. They are solidly far left wackos.”

No, they’re not. Go to the websites of the most outspoken 9/11 conspiracy theorists, like Alex Jones. They have continued attacking Obama right where they left off attacking Bush.

Also, I would like to make a distinction between wackos like Alex Jones, who use 9/11 conspiracy theories and paranoia to promote themselves and make money, and valid, reasoned questioning of the events of 9/11, like that which the families of the victims put forward shortly after the 9/11 Commission.

3D your argument has no merit. The far left is angry with Obama over not aggressively investigating the ridiculous 9/11 conspiracies, not withdrawing troops from Afghanistan & Iraq, public option as well as not forcing through other items on their agenda. Obama has not gone far enough to the left which is why they are angry.

Are you attempting to argue 9/11 conspiracy is a conservative movement? If so, you need to provide proof. I see folks like Van Jones, Martin Sheen & Michael Moore. No conservatives.

on 23 Sep 2009 at 12:28 am 15.3D said …

Horatio wrote:

“Are you attempting to argue 9/11 conspiracy is a conservative movement?”

No, you dummy. I am saying they have their own agenda that doesn’t conform to left or right stereotypes, they just lash out at anyone in the government out of paranoia.

on 23 Sep 2009 at 1:21 pm 16.Horatio said …

So these supposed right wingers, upset with Bush as well as Obama, are not the Right Wing lunatic fringe? They have their own agenda and therefore all this talk we hear from the liberals is inaccurate?

That would need to be your view in order to maintain consistency but you would be a lone voice.

You are, of course wrong, but you are welcome to your own little world.

on 24 Sep 2009 at 4:48 pm 17.3D said …

“So these supposed right wingers, upset with Bush as well as Obama, are not the Right Wing lunatic fringe?”

What the fuck are you talking about? Who said that Alex Jones et. al. are “right-wingers”?

They are not any -wingers, they are crazy. Each side of the political aisle likes to shove them over to the other side to tar and feather the opposition, which is what you are trying to do in these posts.

on 25 Sep 2009 at 4:22 pm 18.Bruebista said …

9-11 Conspirators – Left wing nut jobs

Tea Paert participants – Middle America

Abortion Clinic bombers – Right wing nut jobs

Clear enough?

on 25 Sep 2009 at 5:44 pm 19.STEVE-O said …

Both 9-11 “truthers” and Alex Jones “birthers” are hearing Glen Beck,s voice speak for them, and they would be in the clinical vernacular, CRAZY! I’ve only heard “Prison Planet” once or twice and can’t seem to locate his solar system anywhere on my map of the cosmos. Must be near the planet Texas. Does listening to Glenn Beck make you crazy, or is it symtomatic? Why do Mormons allow him into their cult?

on 25 Sep 2009 at 9:16 pm 20.Horatio said …

911 conspirators are eligible to be czars under the Obama administration. I think you mean to refer to Van Jones! Apply oline at ACORN.com

Crazy or not (which he may be) Glenn Beck is not a 911 conspiracy theorist and one of the few voices out there that criticized Bush and Obama. Can’t think of another.

Where has all the honest journalism gone!!!!!

on 25 Sep 2009 at 9:57 pm 21.STEVE-O said …

There are questions about the attack on 9-11 that were either hidden or not asked. Why didn’t George Bush have to answer under oath? Why was Dick Cheney with him. If you want to believe the portions of the 9-11 report you were allowed to see, then you must enjoy being blissful. I know these people want to kill us, and they made their case long before 9-11. That President Bush chose to ignore the warnings; a case could be made that he allowed the attack for alterior motives. When the election was called for Bush in 2000 I made predictions like $5 a gallon gas, and we’d be in Iraq within a year. My timing was off by a year so I may not qualify as a prophet, but even before 9-11 Condi Rice was ramping up the case for a war in Iraq. Wasn’t it the treasury sec. who said every cabinet meeting started and finished with Iraq? There are legitimate questions that have not been answered. Not about building seven or that falldural, but NORAD’s response and the FAA tapes that were destroyed. Who ordered their destruction and why. Incopetence? Maybe- these are questions that have answers, they need to be asked. No one was fired over their actions or lack of them, do I need to bring up “My Pet Goat?” I don’t think so.

on 25 Sep 2009 at 11:32 pm 22.Horatio said …

Oh
my
gosh
a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. Back away sllloowwwlllyyy
and no one gets hurt.

Bye Bye 5-0 or should I say Van Jones?

on 26 Sep 2009 at 12:35 am 23.STEVE-O said …

Horatio- just what I suspected, another illerati who doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know. I’m amazed you don’t consider the internet satanist since you obviously lack critical thinking skills. Enjoy your bliss. 22-is that your I.Q.? Nobody’s going to hurt you little fella.

on 26 Sep 2009 at 1:41 am 24.a said …

Why didn’t George Bush have to answer under oath?

Why not Clinton? Answer what? The planning and build up was under his watch. Maybe he PURPOSEFULLY allowed it. Ridiculous and unfounded. 9/11 comission was bipartisan you goose.

“Condi Rice was ramping up the case for a war in Iraq”

So did Clinto & the UN. He violated UN mandates for a decade and he comitted atrocities against his own people. Seems pretty concrete.

“That President Bush chose to ignore the warnings;”

DO you have any idea how many threats they get in just one week? Clinton ignored the same warnings.

“FAA tapes that were destroyed. Who ordered their destruction and why.”

Its like Roswell, you can point out how ridiculosu they are but you can’t make them think.

on 26 Sep 2009 at 1:54 am 25.STEVE-O said …

Well- how nice to find a reasonable post. I’m not saying I have all the answers. I’m sure you don’t buy the 9-11 report in it’s entirety either. The redactions are there for a reason. The employee was diciplined…at least that much we know. I’m sure that you accept that Clinton was involved in the transition to the Bush Administration. However the Bush admin. never convened the JTTF until the day before if my memory is right. Obviously you are a more capable thinker than you let on. Therefore you must know there are still questions to be answered. I’m not talking about building seven. To quote Glen Beck quoting Thomas Jefferson “Question boldly” the rest of the quote…”the existance of God”

on 27 Sep 2009 at 12:27 am 26.a said …

Wish I could say the same about your post Steve-O. 9-11 conspiracy thories have been disproven time and time again by bi-partisan sources. Move on!

Leave a Reply

Name (or enter "anonymous")

Mail (optional)(will not be published)

Website (optional)

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page.Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.